Miles Apart
by MaryandMerlin
Summary: Written for The Rose in Death's Garden. Petunia receives some exciting Owl post. PE/JP One-Shot


**Author's Note: This is a pairing that I have never really had a desire to write but I found it quite easily and almost enjoyable.**

 **Prompts**

 **Monthly One-Shot -** The Rose in Death's Garden

James/Petunia

Romance

chandelier

 **FRIENDS Challenge -** TOW The Monkey

Write about a long distance relationship

 **Disney Character Challenge -** Queen Clarion

Write about a long distance relationship

 **Percy Jackson Challenge -** Medusa

Write about someone who's hiding their true self

 **Disclaimer:** **I don't own anything you recognise!**

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Miles Apart

A soft tapping at the bedroom window had the three girls jerking upwards in surprise. Petunia and her friends looked at the window in alarm; they were on the second floor of Petunia's house so no one should be able to climb that high.

"Oh my God, Tuny, is that an owl?" Alicia exclaimed in her high pitched, nasally voice. It was indeed an owl, a beautiful tawny bird that Petunia recognised immediately. It made her heart race.

"It is!" exclaimed Sarah. "And it's got something on it's leg."

Both girls looked quizzically at their friend. Petunia felt her face flushing and her mouth was suddenly dry; how was she going to explain this one?

"Oh, you know, it's a stupid, quirky feature of my sister's stupid boarding school," she tittered, sliding off the bed and making her way to the window. "They have to send their mail by bird, can you believe that?" She continued, making sure to sound catty. "How ridiculous can you get?" She opened the window and the obedient bird chirped affectionately. Quickly, Petunia untied the letter from the owl's leg and closed the window.

She glanced down at the familiar messy scrawl. Her name never looked so good.

"Yeah, it's for my parents. Stupid birds can't even get to the right person! I'll take it down to them later."

Reluctantly, Petunia placed the letter face down on her dressing table and returned to her friends. The other girls cackled loudly and proceeded to shred the idea of the 'exclusive' boarding school that Lily attended. Petunia joined in halfheartedly.

X

By the time her friends left, Petunia was ready to tear her hair out. She had spent the last two hours on edge, desperate to read her letter but also terrified that her friends would find out. They could never find out what her sister's school was really about or that someone was writing to her from there.

Right now, though, she didn't care about the magical freaks or weird methods of communication. All she cared about was him. She threw herself back onto the four poster bed, holding up the parchment to block out the light from the plastic chandelier, and began to read.

 _Petunia,_

 _It's only been two weeks since we last saw each other but already it feels like a lifetime. I remember the last day of summer, and it's bittersweet because you looked so beautiful, but I knew it would be the last time I saw you until Christmas._

 _Thank Merlin this is my final year, Petunia. Being away from you for so long is so hard, and it's even harder keeping it a secret from everyone. I want to show you off - are you sure we can't at least tell Lily? I know she would be pleased for us and Sirius suspects something. I know it's hard to accept what I am but maybe with people to talk to it could get easier. Think about it sweetheart, for me?_

 _So far we haven't been doing much in classes. I had to transfigure a quill into a flower the other day; I made sure it was a petunia. It's been in a jar on my nightstand ever since so I can fall asleep looking at it and thinking about you._

 _What shall we do for Christmas? I can sneak you out of your house and we could go somewhere fun for hot chocolate or to the park to build snowmen. I could even bring you to my house and show you how much fun charmed snowballs are. Maybe you could even meet my parents?_

 _I know I might be seeming a bit forceful all of a sudden, Tuny, but this is my final year at Hogwarts and everyone is making me think of the future and all I want from my future is to have you in it. If I get a job next year, I should be able to afford a flat and I thought maybe it could be_ our _flat, but we'd have to go public first. It's been a year, Tuny, I think it's time, don't you?_

 _I will wait anxiously for your reply._

 _Yours forever,_

 _James_

Petunia read the letter through twice before she clutched the piece of parchment to her chest with a sigh. She was equally elated and terrified. James wanted to go public. He wanted the whole world to know. It had been their most closely guarded secret for so long that she wasn't sure if she could bring herself to reveal it to anyone.

But he was right. How could they ever have a life together; a future, dreams, if they were a secret? She certainly envisioned having more than two people at her wedding.

The more Petunia thought about telling her parents and her sister about James, the more scared she felt, but at the same time she was excited. James Potter was her boyfriend. He was smart and handsome. Sure, he was a wizard, but so was Lily and maybe this connection to her world would be the bridge that brought them back together.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Petunia raced to her dressing table. She grabbed a sheet of blank paper and her fluffy, pink biro and began to scribble out a reply.

 _Dear James,_

 _I'll meet your parents, if you'll meet mine..._

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 **Much Love, MaryandMerlin x**


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